Raoni Barcelos defeats Montel Jackson by split decision at UFC

Raoni Barcelos extended his winning streak to five straight fights with a split decision victory over Montel Jackson at a recent UFC event, cementing what has become one of the more impressive late-career resurgences in the bantamweight division.

Barcelos, now 39 years old, improved his professional record to 22-5 with the win. The Brazilian fighter out of the Laerte Barcelos Team controlled large portions of the contest through his wrestling, averaging 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. Standing five-foot-seven with a 67-inch reach, Barcelos also brings active hands to the cage, landing nearly five significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. The victory is expected to push him back into the bantamweight top 15 when the updated rankings are released Tuesday.

Jackson, known as "Quik," now sits at 15-4 overall and 9-4 inside the UFC following his second consecutive split decision defeat. The 34-year-old southpaw from the United States trains out of Red Schafer MMA and carries a notable physical advantage in most matchups, measuring five-foot-ten with a 75-inch reach. He lands 3.09 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and averages three takedowns per 15 minutes himself, making the wrestling-dominated loss a particularly difficult one to absorb given his own grappling credentials.

Why it matters

• Barcelos's five-fight streak at age 39 positions him as a legitimate contender to re-enter the bantamweight top 15 rankings.
• Jackson's back-to-back split decision losses raise questions about his standing at rank 15 in the division.
• The style matchup favored Barcelos's proactive wrestling over Jackson's reach and striking-based game.